Tired of Cereal Monotony?

How do you break your nightly fast? Do you, your spouse or partner, and kids start the day with cold cereal and milk? Although cold cereal may seem lost the most convenient option, cold cereal has several surprising strikes against it.

FYI: The picture on the right comes from a pro-oatmeal post by Anthony Stalter posted on Bottom Line Fitness.

What's wrong with cold cereal?
If you ask me, cold cereal has at least three strikes against it even if it doesn't contain added sugars, (which most do), wheat or artificial colorings and flavorings (which many do), or partially hydrogenated oils (which a surprising number do).

1) Cold cereal is expensive. For the cost of one box of cold cereal you can buy
enough old fashioned rolled oats to make at least 30 to 40 large bowls of oatmeal.
Switching from cold cereal to hot cereal can help you save money and stretch your food
dollars.

2) Cold cereals contain high levels of acrylamide, a carcinogen produced when
starches are processed at high temperatures (French fries and potato chips contain even
higher amounts of it). The higher the temperature used to cook or manufacture these
foods, the more of this toxin the final product contains. The fluffing, puffing, and
extruding process used to turn grains into ready-to-eat fast food comes at a cost to the
grain and your health.

3) Cold cereals have a high glycemic index and a low satiety value. Because they're full of hot air and not much else you have the illusion of having eaten without taking in many calories, grams of protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, or antioxidants. The high glycemic index gives you the sugar rush and crash that makes you sluggish, sleepy, or ravenous shortly after eating. Studies looking at the effects of different breakfasts on appetite, blood sugar, and weight control give cold cereal a big boo! In contrast, a breakfast of old fashioned oatmeal served with fruit wins the nod of researchers and dieters alike. Add protein and a healthy source of fat or oil and you have even more fans for this meal.

If you're going to at cereal, choose oatmeal
But not the instant kind. Go for old fashioned (thick), longer, slower cooking rolled oats
for sustained energy. A traditional standby, oats contain 50 percent more protein than
wheat and twice as much protein as brown rice. While most of the fiber in other grains is
the insoluble type, half the fiber in oats is the soluble variety (a friendlier fiber also predominant in fruits and vegetables), which has a cholesterol-reducing effect.

What's in a cup of oatmeal?
A one-cup serving of cooked oatmeal contains only 145 calories. It provides 2 grams of
fat, 126 mg of potassium, 25 grams of carbohydrate (4 grams of fiber, half of it soluble),
and 6 grams of protein. The soluble fiber slows down the digestion of starch, which helps
prevent blood sugar spikes. Oats are as a good source of selenium, phosphorus and
manganese, magnesium, GLA (gamma linolenic acid), ALA (linolenic acid), among
others. Herbalists classify oats as a nervine; they help relax the nervous system.

Oats and the gluten free diet
If you have celiac disease and follow a gluten free diet, be aware that most commercial
oats are cross contaminated with wheat and other gluten-containing grains in the field,
during harvest, processing, and packaging. So, look for safe gluten-free oats, which you
can mail order from Cream Hill Estates, Gluten Free Oats, or Bob's Red Mill. Note: Read labels, not all Bob's Red Mill oat products are gluten-free.

Tired of the same old cereal?
Eating oatmeal doesn't have to mean you eat the same old mush morning after morning.
During my vegetarian and vegan years, I created a lot of oatmeals.  I cooked oats with amaranth, oats with millet, oats with kasha (roasted buckwheat groats), oats with quinoa, oats with leftover brown rice, oats with leftover cornbread, oats with cornmeal, oats with corn off the cob, oats with winter squash, oats with mochi, and many more variations on the theme. One thing I never tried, never even thought of trying, was oatmeal cooked in coffee. I realize millions of Americans probably drink coffee with their oatmeal, but to cook the two together?

Over the holidays, my friend Carol (a great source of unusual and usually delicious recipes) recommended I try her newfound favorite breakfast: Oatmeal cooked in coffee. Since coffee has never been a regular part of my diet, I automatically thought of replacing coffee with my favorite caffeine-free herbal coffee alternative, Teeccino. If you're going to use coffee, I recommend NutriCafe, a Fair Trade organic coffee bean infused with powerful herbal extracts that support health.

Soak your oats
My friend Carol doesn't soak her oats, but I've done it for years to tenderize the grain, start the sprouting process, and liberate more nutrients. Soaking also adds a subtle sweetness and many people find soaked and simmered oatmeal more digestible. You can start your cereal cooking first thing in the morning and leave it to cook while you shower, get dressed, or pack lunch(es). You do not need to stir the cereal as it comes to boil or during cooking (see secrets for success below!)

So here it is.  Try the soaked oats with and without coffee or Teccino and let me know what you think.

Carol's Coffee-n-Oatmeal     

Soaking: overnight    Cooking:30 minutes   Yield: 2 (1 cup) servings     

Secrets for success: 1) Do not stir the cereal before or during cooking or the starches will separate,
sink to the bottom, stick and burn; 2) After the cooking time has elapsed, allow cereal to stand undisturbed with the lid on for 10 to 15 minutes so the steam will condense and loosen any stuck cereal from bottom and sides of the pot to reduce clean up.

Ingredients:
1 cups thick or old fashioned rolled oats/oatmeal (not instant or quick cooking)
2 cups cool or cold brewed coffee or Teeccino (instead of water)
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon unrefined, mineral-rich sea salt (I like Celtic, Eden, and Real Salt)

Last minute mix-ins:
Vanilla-flavored stevia extract powder or raw, unfiltered honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or apple or pumpkin pie spice
Butter, virgin coconut oil, flax oil, coconut milk, shredded unsweetened coconut, or
chopped toasted nuts
1 apple or pear, peeled, cored, and finely chopped (see variations below)

1. Before going to bed, combine the rolled oats and cold coffee or Teeccino (or water if you don't want coffee) in a 2-quart pot. Allow it to soak at room temperature, uncovered or with a bamboo sushi mat on top overnight.
2. In the morning, add sea salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat without stirring and cover. If
using a gas range, slip a heat deflector under the pot as soon as it boils. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes without stirring. When the cooking time has elapsed, turn off, and remove the pot from the burner. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes with the lid on.
3. Stir well with a bamboo rice paddle or large wooden spoon. If cereal seems too thick
for your tastes, stir in hot water a tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency.
4. Spoon cereal into bowls. Add stevia extract liquid a few drops at a time or a drizzle of honey, cinnamon or pie spice, and stir. Top with butter, coconut oil or flax oil or sprinkle with chopped toasted nuts. Add apple pear or your favorite fresh or dried fruit. See variations below for more protein.
5. Transfer leftover, unseasoned cereal to a stainless steel or other heat-proof bowl. Cover with a lid or small plate and refrigerate. Use within 2 days.
6. Reheat leftovers in a double boiler or using a heatproof bowl on top of a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam for 15 minutes.

Variations:

*  For added protein: Stir a one-ounce scoop of plain or vanilla whey protein you're
your cereal before serving or top it or serve with a cup of organic goat, cow, sheep,
waterbuffalo milk or yogurt.

*  For Soaked and Simmered Oats without coffee: Replace coffee with filtered water.

*  For variety: Replace the apple with a pear or with fresh blueberries, sliced straweberries, banana, raisins, or chopped, pitted dates.

Comments

[Benno]

Sounds good! Should the lid only be placed on at the end (during the 10-15 mins of sitting), or should it be on while boiling, simmering etc.? Thanks.

[Chef Rachel]

Hi Benno,

Sorry that wasn't clear. Cook the cereal with the lid on, let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes w/the lid on after cooking, then remove it. I corrected it in the actual post. Thanks for pointing out my omission!

Rachel

[Davino]

I sat there this morning, with a bold coffee in hand, and a bowl of oatmeal with nuts and raisins. The thought to combine never came to me, and then pour/stir.

I wasn't surprised by the taste, just by the fact that I never thought of it before.

Delicious....Im In